Buttermilk Doughnuts

5 from 2 votes

Homemade buttermilk doughnuts. Toss in your choice of cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or sweet butter glaze.This this easy, no rise dough is a quick way to have fresh donuts anytime!

Yield: a dozen donuts plus several doughnut holes

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

Dough:

¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup low-fat buttermilk (170 g)
¼ cup unsalted butter (57 g) melted
½ teaspoon baking soda (3 g)
3½ cups all-purpose flour (455 g)
2 teaspoons baking powder (8 g)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
vegetable shortening or vegetable oil, for frying

Cinnamon Sugar:

1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon

Confectioners' Sugar:

2 cups confectioners' sugar (226 g)

Sweet Butter Glaze:

3 cups confectioners' sugar (350 g)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (85 g), melted
1 teaspoon light corn syrup (6 g)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt
6 Tablespoon hot water

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together sugar, eggs, and egg yolk until well combined.
In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and baking soda. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to activate baking soda. Mixture will slightly rise. Pour activated mixture into mixing bowl with sugar-egg mixture. Beat together until well incorporated.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until thorough there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
Transfer sticky dough to a medium bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
Attach candy thermometer to a large heavy bottomed pot (cast-iron or Dutch oven, preferred). Fill pot about 3-inches deep with fry oil or shortening. Set over low-medium heat to 375°F. Prepare dough while oil heats.
Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Dough will be rather sticky. Lightly flour the top of dough and pat or roll dough to a thickness slightly less than ½-inch. Using a floured 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter (or round cookie cutters), stamp out doughnuts. Transfer doughnuts and doughnut holes to baking sheet. Gather scrape dough, knead together, and re-roll to stamp out more doughnuts.
Brush off any excess flour from the cut doughnuts. Carefully place about 3-4 doughnuts at a time into hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Cook for 1 minute on each side, until golden in color. Cook doughnut holes for about 45 seconds on each side. Drain cooked doughnuts on wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet. Keep an eye on candy thermometer and adjust head accordingly to maintain a constant cooking temperature.
While doughnuts are still warm, toss in your choice of cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or sweet butter glaze. Enjoy immediately.

Cinnamon Sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon until well combined.

Powdered Sugar

Place unsifted confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl.

Sweet Butter Glaze

Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Add in melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and hot water. Stir until smooth.

Notes

Use a candy thermometer to maintain proper cooking temperature.
Use this 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter, or a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cookie cutter.
Frying in shortening with result with a crispier doughnut. Cooked doughnut will also feel less greasy than oil fried doughnuts.

*Estimated nutritional information listed does not include choice of donut coating or glaze.

Nutrition